Parthenon South Metope II

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Marble metope from The Parthenon (South metope II). South metopes in The British Museum show battle between Centaurs and Lapiths at marriage-feast of Peirithoos. A Lapith stands in front of a Centaur, kneeling on the Centaur's back and clasping his throat with left hand. The Centaur, facing right, has been thrown on his right foreleg, his head is forced back and mouth wide open. The fingers of his right hand grasp the right shoulder of the Lapith. A chlamys hangs over the Lapith's left arm and behind his back. The Centaur's left arm and right foreleg and the Lapith's head and right arm are missing. Parts of frame are restored. The human Lapith forces centaur opponent down, gripping him by throat. The line of Lapith's body crosses the centaur at a diagonal. This compositional devise was popular in Greek art for depicting scenes of strife. The Metopes of the Parthenon are series of marble panels, originally 92 in number, on outside walls of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, forming part of Doric frieze. The metopes of each side of building (14 each on eastern and western walls, 32 each on northern and southern walls) had a different subject, and together with pediments, Ionic frieze, and statue of Athena Parthenos contained within the Parthenon, formed an elaborate program of sculptural decoration. Fifteen of metopes from south wall were removed and are now part of the Parthenon Marbles in British Museum, and others have been destroyed. They are famous examples of Classical Greek high-relief. The metopes of southern wall (Plaques No. 1-12 and 21-32) present the Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs, also known as the Centauromachy, in which mythological Athenian king Theseus took part. The battle between Centaurs and Lapiths broke out during wedding feast of the king of Lapiths and personal friend of Theseus, Pirithous. According to one version of myth, the Centaurs, insulted from being excluded from celebrations, attacked the Lapiths while according to another, during the feast drunken Centaurs reacted violently under influence of wine. The result was a fight between Centaurs and Lapiths and an attempt of former to abduct Lapith women. The Centaurs have faces with animal features whose linear drawings strongly recall theatrical masks. They are shown wearing animal skins and they are armed with tree-branches. On the other hand, the Lapiths fight nude or wearing a chlamys, several of them hold a sword or a spear which, as they were formerly metallic attachments, are now lost, while in some cases, the Lapiths use shields to protect themselves. There is a tendency to recognize the bridegroom Pirithous on metope 11 and the bride Deidamia on metope 25 but there is no conclusive evidence for these identifications. On metope 29, features of mature Classical style can be traced on face and dress of Lapith woman. The presence of household utensils such as hydrias (ceramic pots with three handles used for mainly for storing water), which are also used as provisional weapons by combatants, indicates a battle fought indoors. Certain compositions are repeated whereas the overall execution of scenes is less ambitious than initial plans. Contrary to eventual outcome of battle and to moral of myth which emphasizes on superiority of civilized world over primeval disorder, the winning party in this fearless fight are Centaurs and not Lapiths. However, it is possible that the battle is still in its initial stages. In 1687, a cannonball struck the Parthenon during an attack on Athens by Venetians. This event destroyed many metopes on south wall, especially the central ones. The existence of these metopes is now known only from Carrey's drawings executed in 1674 and from their remaining fragments. Their subject matter is not altogether clear as the metopes present uncommon iconographical details. Some experts recognize on them the representation of Attic dynastic myths (the stories of royal families of Cecrops and Erechtheus) while others, attempting to unify mythologically the afore-mentioned scenes with ones of Centauromachy, propose a subject related to myths of Centauromachy heroes.